Moazzam Jahi Market Pinni
Moazzam Jahi Market Aunt
Setting: Moazzam Jahi Market (Hyderabad / Telangana).
In English: Moazzam Jahi Market Aunt. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.
Moazzam Jahi Market Aunt
Last month nenu oka weekend Hyderabad Old City side velli vachanu. Nenu Kiran, IT engineer, mee ki telusu — konni times Karimnagar home weekend kuda miss aitaadu, aa time lo nenu Hyderabad streets lo nadustu untanu, ayenaa Abids, Koti, Moazzam Jahi. Maa friend Sravan ki oka assignment undindi, ancient Hyderabad markets gurinchi photo essay, tana college kosam. Nenu tana tho pooratiga velthanu ani oppukunnanu. Feb 24, Saturday night, 10 PM ki memu Moazzam Jahi Market daggara park chesamu. Ee story nenu aa night chusina oka ammayi gurinchi — aame peru Salma, 1969 lo chanipoyina ammayi, ani ippudu naaku telusu. Aa time ki teledu.
Moazzam Jahi Market 1935 lo construction complete ayindi. Nizam VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan era lo. Oka big clock tower tho pedda stone building. Ippudu meat shops, fruit vendors, ice cream shop (famous vaadu 70 years nunchi), dry fruits shops. Saturday midnight ki anduru shops close ayipoyi untai. Memu streetlight kinda oka chai stall daggara aaginam.
Sravan: "Kiran anna, ee building chudu. 1935 rojullo aa constructions , pucca Scottish-Mughal hybrid. Nana Naani laanti style. Naa photos ki perfect backdrop."
Kiran: "Sravan, clock tower top lo needle chusinava? 12:45 ki spot ga undi. Ippudu 10:42. Clock stuck aipoindha emiti?"
Sravan tripod set chesthunnadu. Nenu chai paisalu icchaanu. Chaiwala — madhyam vayasu manushudu, 45 years around — mee mugguri ki chai poosukuntunnadu. Aa time ki oka smell vacchindi — dum biryani smell. Deep, heavy, gara masala, kewda essence, mutton fat. Aa smell ki naa face velligindi — ippudu aakali vesindi suddenly.
Kiran: "Bhai, akkada dum biryani shop open ga undha? 10:45 ki midnight?"
Chaiwala oka direction chupinchaadu. Main market gate kind right side lo, pillar chaatuna, oka chinna stall. Oka old kerosene lantern vellithundi, neram kaani yellow. Oka aunt — sumaaru 55 years, black burqa head scarf la, mund kidha oka pedda handi undi, handi midha gunny cloth cover. Aa handi kinda kallam tho firewood nemmadi ga mandipisthundi. Stall board ledu, price list ledu.
Chaiwala: "Saar, aa Ameena pinni stall. Rathri 2 AM ki open chestundi roju. Biryani manchi dastundi. Plate oka plate Rs 80. Ikkada crowd unnaanu 1 AM tarvatha , auto drivers, hamali workers, night shift folks. Meeru try chesinaaraa. Kaani..."
Kiran: "Kaani emiti?"
Chaiwala plate midha samosa pettukoni nemmadi ga thinestu bidiyapettesaadu. Cheppadam ki ishtham ledu aa vishayam.
Chaiwala: "Saar, meeru tourists ga vacchinattu kanipisthunnaaru. Naku em antey... aa stall ki chala manushulu vellaru. Chinna chinna fights aayi untai. Meeru plate tisukunte tisukondi, kaani prashna lu adigakandi. Aame thanaki tanaki matladutundi sometimes."
Sravan aa stall photo teeyali ani tripod shift chesadu. Aunt lo nunchi mundukivellipoyinadu. Nenu alone nilbadi unnanu, aakali ekkuva ayyindi. Nenu stall daggarki velladu.
Aunt naa vaipu chusindi. Face wrinkled, kaani eyes konchem lighter ga unnayi — slight grey tint, age ki match avvadam ledu. Gently smiled.
Ameena: "Beta, biryani chahiye? Fresh hai. Mutton piece pandrandu, rice dum poorthiga, raita free."
Kiran: "Haan pinni, oka plate dharma pettandi."
Aame handi gunny cover slow ga tisindi. Lopala mutton biryani. Smell aa chotuni full ga nindindi. Aame paper plate midha biryani thesi, mutton pieces pettindi, oka small plastic cup raita pettindi. Rs 80 icchanu, aame chinna steel box lo paisalu pettindi. Aa box midha — naa eyes lopala oka date stamp chusanu — "Est. 1961." 1961 nunchi stall running ani meaning.
Biryani first bite — poorthi authentic. Hyderabadi dum biryani, 40 years back style. Saffron real, meat slow-cooked 6 hours. Ippudu restaurants lo ee quality ledu, even Paradise, Bawarchi lo kuda chala change ayindi. Nenu Ameena pinni ni adigaanu.
Kiran: "Pinni, mee recipe entha old ga undi? Adhhbutam ga undi ee biryani."
Aame chetulu thudichukundi gunny cloth lo. Kallu slightly distant ayyayi.
Ameena: "Beta, ee recipe maa amma di. Aame 1920s lo Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan gaari kitchen lo assistant cook undi. Khana Bawarchi Khana lo. Aame marriage tarvatha ikkade stall pettindi 1938 lo. Naaku 1961 lo transfer chesindi."
Nenu stopped. Maths chesanu head lo. Ameena pinni 55 years la undi, 1961 lo recipe tisukuntae — at least 30 years back — means ippudu aame 90 years untadi. Kaani aame face 55 la undi. Skin oka young-old mix, confusing la undi.
→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Charminar Madhyarathri Bike
Kiran: "Pinni, mee aapka umar kitnee?"
Aame oka saari navvindi. Long, slow laugh. Teeth inka original ga unnayi, white.
Ameena: "Beta, age pooch ke kya karoge? Biryani khao, paisa doge, ghar jao. Main yahan har raat hoon. Mujhse puchne wala nahi chahiye."
Nenu second bite tisukunnanu. Mutton mouth lo kariginde ga mellage ga. Aa moment lo stall behind side nunchi Sravan kshauda chesadu —
Sravan: "Kiran anna, ikkada raa, ee thing chudu."
Nenu plate oka side lo pettukoni Sravan daggaraki vellanu. Tanu stall back wall midha oka faded tin plaque chupinchaadu. Adhi 1970s style government issue la undi —
"Notice: Ameena Biryani Stall, Stall No. 14, Moazzam Jahi Market. Burnt down in fire incident dated 4 September 1969. Owner: Mrs. Ameena Begum, deceased. License cancelled. Property demolished. Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, 1970."
Sravan: "Anna, 1969 lo aa stall tagalapoindi. Amma stall owner chanipoindi. License cancel. Demolished. 54 years ayipoindi."
Nenu Sravan vaipu chusanu. Biryani plate naa chetulo velithindi. Aa smell ippudu different ga pedithindi — burnt wood smell, burnt fabric smell, chinna ga smoke. Raw mutton smell ga kaadu, sizzled smoke la.
Nenu turn back chesanu. Stall nunchi undindi. Ameena pinni mundu handi daggara koorchoni, nemmadiga nemmadiga rice stirring chestundi. Aame naa vaipu chusindi. Smile pedda kaadu ippudu — heart heavy la undi.
Ameena: "Beta, plate khatam karo. Waste mat karo. Yeh paisa meri nahi hai. Meri beti ki hai. Woh abhi tak wait kar rahi hai."
Kiran: "Beti?"
Aame langaru kadi oka direction lo vellindi. Stall bahira, market gate pakkana, oka steep corner side daggara. Akkada oka chinna girl niluchuni undi, 6-7 years, braid hair, green frock, chappal lu kaallulo. Aa frock style 1960s la undi. Tana chetilo oka chinna tin tiffin box. Tanu stall ni expectantly chustondi, aame kosam nemmadiga wait chesthundi.
Ameena: "Woh meri Salma. Uski paanchwi saalgirah ke din fire hua. 4 September 1969. Main kitchen mein thi, woh bahar jhoola jhool rahi thi. Main bacha nahi saki. Main khud bhi nahi bachi. Lekin main rukti nahi. Har raat biryani banati hoon , agar Salma bhookhi ho toh. Lekin woh nahi aati khaane. Mera gussa itna tha apne aap pe, ki main keh deti thi woh mujhe kabhi maaf nahi karegi."
Nenu Ameena pinni ni chusanu. Aa eyes lo 54 years of silent pain, stuck emotion. Tana kuthuru ni tan chetulu tho save cheyyalekapoindi — but aa punishment ni poorthi ga tanaki ichukundi, 54 years. Prathi ratri biryani, prathi ratri girl ni wait chesthundi, prathi ratri aa girl food ki raadu. Cycle endlessly.
Nenu Ameena pinni daggaraki vellanu. Plate tisukuni aakhari bite thinaanu. Biryani real ga unnadi, warm ga unnadi — naa nottilo velithindi kuda.
Kiran: "Pinni, meeru maafi adgaledu ippativaraku. Tananu adganu, kaani tana ki agreement telusu. Tana kosam ippudu food cheyyadam maatrame enough. Tanu meeru oka mistake chesaru ani anukovadam ledu. Tanu vacchindi, kaani hunger kosam kaadu , meeku company ivvadaniki. Meeru kuda mee ki chinnachina chuuchukundaali."
Aame naa vaipu long ga chusindi. Oka tear slowly down aa wrinkled cheek. Aame tala vanchindi.
Ameena: "Beta, yeh baat mujhe koi nahi kaha. 54 saal mein. Main khud ko kabhi bhi..."
Aame saag puruthi cheyyaledu. Corner daggara Salma chinna chetulu chappatlu kottindi. Chinna steps lo stall vaipu mundu vacchindi. Aame chinna tiffin box handi daggarki vacchi — Ameena pinni oka spoon biryani pettindi aa tiffin box lo. Salma pinni ki oka hug icchindi.
Aa hug moment lo — Salma body slowly fade ayyindi. Steam la, smoke la. Light ga, painless. Ameena pinni noru open undi kaani voice ledu.
→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Mecca Masjid 4 AM
Kaani stall light still undi. Handi still heat midha undi. Ameena pinni naa vaipu chusindi.
Ameena: "Beta, woh chali gayi. Aakhirkaar. Ab mujhe bhi jana chahiye. Tumhara shukriya. Paisa wapas rakho."
Aame steel box tisukuni Rs 80 naa cheyyi lo petti eschelsindi. Aame chevulo chinna ga whisper chesindi — "Beta, mujhe meri beti ka haath pakad ke ja rahi hoon. Allah tumhe humesha Hyderabad ki Old City ke khush nazron se dekhe." Aa muddu mud face wrinkled kaani calm ga, 54 years weight dropping off clearly visible ayyaadu. Tarvatha steel box, handi, stove, kirosene lamp — annee slowly fade ayyayi. Smoke la steam la. Stall place plain cement pad ga ayipoindi. Oka burnt patch ground midha mathrame visible ayyindi — 54 years back fire remnant, lightly softer ga ippudu.
Nenu Rs 80 chetulo chusanu. Asalu paisalu ayyayi. Serial numbers old style. 1960s era rupee notes. Circulation lo lene.
Sravan nenna vaipu chusaadu.
Sravan: "Anna, ee place lo edo jarigindi. Naaku feel vasthundi."
Kiran: "Sravan, photos tisukuni intiki velthamu. Ee Rs 80 ni nenu maa intlo safe ga pettestha. Adhi Salma ammayi wait period complete aipoyindi , arthamainaadu ne."
Memu velli poyamu. Ee story niju ga fiction but aa corner idey, Moazzam Jahi Market outer wall side lo. Meer evvaroo aa stall ki raadu 10 PM tarvatha. Kaani 2 AM ki okkasari aunt untundi ani loc people cheppi untaru. Memu evaru daggaraki velladu.
Author's note
Real-world context: Wikipedia — Hyderabad
Moazzam Jahi Market naku childhood nunchi familiar. Maa mama tho Old City lo konni Saturdays nenu vachanu, market lo oka famous ice cream shop undi — 1960s nunchi running ga undi, founder gaari pedda family ippudu run chesthunnaaru. Aa building 1935 lo construction ayyindi ani maa mama cheppedi — Nizam VII era, Belgian architect design chesaru ani, clock tower top lo Moazzam Jahi Nawab peru engraved ga undi. 1969 September lo real ga oka fire incident ayyindi market lo, konchem records lo unnayi but full accurate ga telilledu. Aa story base fictional, kaani aa place lo late night ki silent emotional heaviness undi — aa vintage-ni intha dense ga feel cheyyadam endulo matrame possible. Self-forgiveness — atma ki self pardon — antu oka pedda thing. Ne mistake ki nuvu unshal ga loki vellakooda bhadata ga unlaga. 2024 Ramzan month lo nenu Old City back velli Salma name ni daggaraki okka saari cheppadu pinni... meeru cheppinappudu navvutaaru, I know. Kaani nenu aa night ki silent gounavali ani feel ayindi. Meeru Old City lo lamp lights lo enni stall lu untayo — evadi story undi adaniki? Comments lo cheppandi.
— Sai Kiran · Lighted Tales
© 2026 Sai Kiran Pandrala / Lighted Tales · https://teluguhorrorstories.blogspot.com
Original Telugu horror fiction. Folk-source material where referenced is public domain.
Modern characters, apartments, companies, and phone numbers are fictional.
Any resemblance to real persons, businesses, or events is coincidental.
Audio version: youtube.com/@Lightedtales
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